Megan hopes for an end to fight against brain tumour

THE family of a 4-year-old Cork girl undergoing treatment for a rare brain tumour in the US will discover this week whether she will require radiotherapy treatment.

Last October, Megan Malone, from Kilnamartyra near Macroom, Co Cork, was diagnosed with a rare cancerous brain tumour called sPNET medullablastoma. She was given weeks to live by doctors.

However, after hearing about a programme at New York’s Presbyterian Hospital, the Malones moved to the US, where her remarkable recovery has continued to amaze doctors.

She celebrated her fourth birthday last month.

Megan underwent several courses of chemotherapy before moving on to further higher dose treatments.

In April, almost five months into her treatment, her parents John and Sheila were told there was no longer any trace of cancer in her brain, while tumours on her spine also appeared to have completely cleared.

The news surprised the Malones, as most brain tumours are surgically removed before chemotherapy treatment was started.

In Megan’s case, she had no surgery and it was chemotherapy alone that cleared her tumour.

Tomorrow, Megan will undergo another MRI scan, which will determine if she will need to have radiotherapy treatment. For this she would have to travel 350km to Boston.

She returned to the family’s temporary home in Yonkers, north of New York, earlier this month, for the first time in six weeks.

“She was thrilled to be home with the rest of her family,” said Mr Malone. “She is looking great and is eating and gaining weight.

“We should know the results on Thursday evening, so fingers crossed. There can be only one of two possible results from this MRI. No more treatment needed or radiation therapy required in Boston, which we’re hoping Megan won’t need.”

The Malones hope they can return to Cork later this year, in time for Megan to start playschool.